NSU Horizons Fall 2007

academic notes 4 horizons MAILMAN SEGAL INSTITUTE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDIES: BUILDING LITERACY ONE CHILD AT A TIME B uilding Literacy, a project aimed at transforming at- risk child care centers into literacy-rich environments for young children birth to five years of age, is funded through the A.D. Henderson Foundation, Inc. The project has made a life-changing impact on the caregivers, children, and their families at three centers within Broward County: Kids in Distress, Jack & Jill Children’s Center, and Children’s World South. The three centers participated in the two-year research and training project that is part of the Mailman Segal Institute’s Moran Community Outreach Initiative. The program, which has touched more than 350 children, built literacy skills, enhanced parent involvement, and trained and mentored teachers in best practices in early literacy. Early outcome data suggests centers and teaching practices were transformed, resulting in children who were better prepared for kindergarten and beyond. “The purpose of the intervention was to ensure that children are provided with the skills necessary for successful matriculation into kindergarten. The project surpassed expectations to such an extent that the A.D. Henderson Foundation has agreed to fund the development and dissemination of a toolkit designed to help other non- participating center directors transform their programs in a similar fashion,” said Lorraine Breffni, M.Ed., director of Early Childhood Programs at the Mailman Segal Institute. “Research tells us that children who are behind in reading in first grade are 88 percent more likely to be behind their peers in third grade. This is a critical issue.” The initial phase of the Building Literacy Toolkit is expected to be completed by August 2008. If out- comes of the toolkit are positive within Broward County, the Toolkit is slated to be distributed nationally by August 2009. n Executive Leadership Program Opens Doors to Law Enforcement Officials N SU’s Criminal Justice Institute, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County recently formed a partnership to cooperatively develop educational, research, and service pro- grams related to public safety. A signing ceremony that took place on campus in early spring marked the first time the three entities have come together to form an educational partnership. These programs provide advanced leadership training for senior and supervi- sory public safety officers, access to NSU’s bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in criminal justice, and shared resources in the development of training and research programs specifically related to meeting the needs of the criminal justice and public safety communities. A direct result of the agreement was the development of an executive leadership program that took place over the summer. The 15-week program focused on the development of key leadership competencies. Topics of study included budget and finance, leadership practices, organizational behavior, performance management, emerging technologies, and strategic management. A total of 33 participants from more than 25 public safety entities throughout Broward and Dade counties were enrolled. The program gives participants a choice to work toward the Executive Leadership Certificate or earn under- graduate- or graduate-level credits toward a degree. New programs are in the works. n